Reverse-Engineering Ideal Days for Repeatable, Health-First Routines

Key Quotes

"The best routine is always an elusive destination none of us will ever actually reach if there is anything i have learned about habits goals and fulfillments from my best days it's that most of them actually happened by accident now sure i'm about to teach a bunch of ideas on how to intentionally craft your ideal day but honestly my favorite days were never planned in advance life is unpredictable and the most profound experiences nearly always happen when i least expect them and when i never actually directly plan for them which all that to say that's not an argument to avoid planning it's an argument to pay attention and listen and then flex when needed"

Jeff Sanders explains that ideal routines are not static endpoints but rather evolving processes. He suggests that while planning is valuable, true fulfillment often comes from unexpected moments and the ability to adapt rather than rigidly adhering to a plan. This perspective encourages a flexible approach to routine design, emphasizing awareness and responsiveness to life's unpredictability.

"so if at present you don't if you're sick if you're injured if you're stressed out if you've got a physical ailment that is holding you back from being your best self we would need to start there we desperately need to begin there to set you up for your possible best day that could and will happen once we kind of nail down these nuts and bolts"

Jeff Sanders emphasizes the foundational importance of health in achieving an ideal day. He argues that physical and mental well-being are prerequisites for experiencing one's best self and pursuing goals effectively. Sanders suggests that addressing any health issues should be the primary focus before attempting to optimize other aspects of a daily routine.

"whatever your ideal day includes we want to build it so you can repeat it i've experienced many days that i thought in hindsight went pretty well and to the point i made earlier when i go back and and do that postmortem do that review process and ask myself well why did those days go so well it's fairly obvious that i included core things that i love to do things i'm good at things that bring me joy and fulfillments"

Jeff Sanders highlights the principle of making an ideal day repeatable. He explains that by analyzing past successful days, one can identify core activities that bring joy and fulfillment and then intentionally incorporate them into a sustainable routine. The goal is to create a consistent experience rather than a one-off event.

"our goal here is to focus on habits that accentuate your best qualities and that naturally produce the best results you don't you're not going to have an ideal day doing things you hate and you're not going to have an ideal day doing things you're bad at because we don't tend to like doing things we're bad at our goal is to leverage things we're good at that we enjoy that are fulfilling and that will naturally produce better results"

Jeff Sanders advocates for leveraging personal strengths to design an effective routine. He posits that an ideal day is built upon activities that align with one's best qualities, enjoyment, and natural talents, as these are more likely to yield positive outcomes and personal satisfaction. Sanders advises against focusing on tasks one dislikes or performs poorly.

"pick your core habits and ignore the rest for now in other words don't try to do it all generally you're going to feel more fulfilled doing a few things well than a hundred things quickly and possibly poorly so we want to choose a short list of what brings you the most joy and success and then we can do the rest later or possibly never at all"

Jeff Sanders suggests focusing on a select few core habits rather than attempting to implement too many at once. He argues that excelling at a limited number of activities leads to greater fulfillment and success than spreading oneself too thin across numerous tasks. Sanders advises prioritizing what brings the most joy and effectiveness.

"crunch and release is basically rhythm it is the idea that we have these moments of the day or these you know few hours in the day where we are going to crunch in other words work and focus and dig into the thing we're doing and then release we take a break or go for a walk or we take a nap right and that rhythm of going back and forth between the crunch and release that's the rhythm of the day that's the rhythm of your life"

Jeff Sanders introduces the "crunch and release" concept as a fundamental rhythm for daily routines. He explains that this involves alternating periods of intense focus and work ("crunch") with periods of rest and recovery ("release"). Sanders emphasizes that this balanced approach is crucial for sustainability, health, and fulfillment.